Interesting video Chris. In my younger years, I overlooked 3-piece suits because I saw them as something from the past. Now, in my mid-40s, I decided to commission my first MTM 3-piece suit in 2025. The British tailoring house Redmayne from Wigton is my choice. I will meet them in January when they are on a North America tour. I will strive for a dark brown suit.
Hi Kay, glad you enjoyed the video and it is interesting that you state in your youth you overlooked 3 piece suits, I was very much the same in my opinion. But in later life and witnessing other wear them with great effect - I warmed to the idea and now I am a great supporter of them. Redmayne is a good choice IMO, I did note they were doing a US tour let me know your experience goes with them, but I'm sure the customer service will be second to none 👍🙂
Hi there, glad you enjoyed the video and its great to hear you have a few three piece suits and exploit the use of a waistcoat, most of the time. A waistcoat is a great addition to a gentlemen's wardrobe even as a separate item.👍🙂
I own a couple of 3-piece suits from Walker Slater. The rest are double-breasted. Always found it a bit redundant when gents would add a matching waistcoat to their DB suit.
Hi there, glad you enjoyed the video and great to hear you have a couple of 3 piece suits. In some cases if the waist coat it not high enough at the top, it might not be visible and this can be an issue with some ready to wear (off the peg) suits. It really depends on the cut of the suit and waistcoat. But a double breasted suit is a great look without a waistcoat, that addition overlap give the look of a more opulence and expensive suit. The use of a contrasting or different coloured waistcoat is a great addition to a person's wardrobe anyway whether with a suit, with a jacket or as a separate item 👍🙂
@@TheBritishDapper Thank you, sir! If you don't mind, can I ask you a follow-up styling question? I own a black velvet, shawl-lapelled, double-breasted jacket from Walker Slater (if you Google the Piers Smoking Jacket). I also purchased classic evening wear trousers but they're more of a slimmer fit. I was hoping to have a new pair of trousers made, but with a material being the fine black-and-white stripe, like those worn in a Stresemann suit. I know Stresemann/Stroller suits are typically with black jackets, but would they work for formal evening attire at an opera or fancy restaurant? Combined with a smoking jacket? Or is this too irregular? Thank you in advance!
i have 5 waistoat , i often wear them when i go photograph weddings , keep my tie in place and is more comfortable than jacket and still look well dress , when working as photographer , i don t have a complete 3 piece , but for sure will be my next suite , and also bonus point wastcoat hide bit your belly , since approaching my 50is i develop one :)
Hi there, glad you enjoyed the video and your use of a waistcoat make perfect sense from a functional point of view, they give you freedom of movement in the shoulders and arms, whereas a jacket might be more restrictive. It does look better than just a shirt and tie look and it does keep the tie in place as well as camouflage a bit of a belly😆 👍
@@darkphotographer Hi there, thanks for getting back to me. I think your approach to attending wedding and events is far better, it a shame other can't make the effort for someone else's special day 🙂
Excellent content, Chris. Thank you for punctuating the video with lots of on-screen images and film clips. These are particularly helpful for demonstrating the variety of styling ideas and cloth types. The last three-piece suit I owned was about 45 years ago. They seemed to go out of fashion in the 1980s at which point I became a big fan of double-breasted suits that have remained my favoured choice ever since. I enjoy wearing a contrasting waistcoat with a sports jacket or single-breasted blazer, so perhaps I should give the three-piece suit another try. I haven't bought a new suit for probably 25 years (my old ones still look good and fit perfectly) and I would like another one, but this time either MTM or bespoke.
Hi John and thank you so much for your comment. I’m glad you enjoyed the video and found the visuals helpful. It’s great to hear about your journey with suits over the years. A three-piece suit could be a fantastic addition to your wardrobe, especially with your eye for contrasting waistcoats. MTM or bespoke sounds like a fantastic way to go, that level of more personalised fit can really make a significant difference. Let me know if you decide to give it a try 🙂👍
Once again a very nice video Chris. I like to use different vests and slipovers under jackets. Maybe an extra video on this subject? Kind regards Sjoerd
Good stuff, Chris! I've always enjoyed a three-piecer! Although I do tend to reserve them for when I want to look ultra-smart! When you wear a suit for the office, its nice to have somewhere to go when you need a bit extra! I've always thought double-breasted suits with a waistcoat an odd thing! Wearing a waistcoat only to cover it up never sat well with me! Each to their own, I guess! 🙂
Hi Yoric, glad you enjoyed the video, and extol the virtues of a three piece suit. I believe it does bring something more to the sartorial table, especially in the office environment 🙂 the waistcoat with a double breasted suit can be lost as shown in this video, but it does allow that additional flexibility if you need to take the jacket off and maintain that business like acumen. 👍🙂
Good evening Chris. Good advice on three piece suits. I currently don't own one but have been thinking about getting one. My high school graduation present in the mid 1970s was a three piece suit in blue check. Everyone else back then was wearing a polyester leisure suit. I thought they looked horrible. So i asked for a classic style three piece suit. Never regretted it. Very best regards Ron
Hi Ron, thank you for sharing that story. It’s great to hear that you went for a classic three-piece suit back in the 70s, especially when polyester leisure suits were all the rage. A blue check suit sounds like a stylish choice that would still hold up well today. It's amazing how timeless a good three-piece suit can be, definitely a wardrobe investment that never goes out of style. If you do decide to get another one, I’m sure it’ll bring back some good memories. Glad you enjoyed the video👍🙂
Hi Ken, glad you enjoyed the video and love a 3 piece suit. I noticed on FB you like a lot of peaked lapel suit jackets and it is a shame that your preferred brand doesn't accommodate this often, but it is a sign of the times where less people go for a 3 piece suit. But I stand by my statement a 3 piece suit is still a great look and draws attention 👍🙂 my best wishes to Lesley 🙂
@@TheBritishDapper - hello. I think it’s because this brand is modelled somewhere between USA traditional and British Savile Row suiting fashions. They do have the odd waistcoat but they tend to only be in the New York flagship store. It’s just too costly for us to get there. I did get a herringbone and a tweed jacket with waistcoats this year from them. These are beautiful and unique. You’ll see them. Yes. I just ❤️ Peak lapels.
Very snazzy suit love the cut and fit love the white shirt and collar and love the tie and handkerchief but for me purple is a no no ,would love to have seen it in a milky brown.However you do ooze sophistication and quiet confidence.
Hi there, glad you enjoyed the video and the ensemble worn, even if the tie choice would not be your personal choice. I've not tried this suit with a milky brown tie, I'll have to give that a try🙂👍
Hi Chris. That siut you're wearing in this week's vid is perfect. Some things I often wonder regarding a three piece siut is does the jacket need to be cut differently from a two piece siut? For instance, if the jacket is three buttoned it will conceal the waistcoat when closed. Another issue for me is the height of the waistcoat when buttoned as it might leave little space to show the tie. Finally, the habit of leaving the bottom button undone in the waistcoat may be fashionable but always looks a trifle unkempt to me. What are your thoughts on these matters Chris, am I being overly fussy?
Hi Billy (William), glad you enjoyed the video. To answer your questions, yes a three-piece suit jacket is often cut slightly differently from a two-piece suit jacket to accommodate the waistcoat. In a three-piece suit, the jacket usually has a little more room around the chest and waist to fit comfortably over the waistcoat and some tailors also adjust the button stance of the jacket as well depending on the overall desired look when including a particular style of waist coat. It might also have slightly higher armholes to ensure a smoother silhouette when the Waistcoat is worn underneath. Additionally, the lapels on three-piece suit jackets may sometimes be narrower, as the waistcoat becomes more of the focal point. The height of the waistcoat when buttoned is something to consider, however this comes down to the style and cut of the waistcoat and personal choice, a good tailor would cut the waistcoat to get the balance just right to prevent the tie being drowned out by the waistcoat. In contrast, a two-piece suit jacket is tailored to have a slightly snugger fit without the need to make room for a waistcoat, so it can be a slimmer overall fit around the torso. Although when buying ready to wear suits manufactured for large company's this tends to be less obvious and allow a greater choice if the customer wants a 3 piece or a 2 piece suit nether would look out of place due to the generalisation of the design. My thoughts about the habit of leaving the bottom button undone on the waistcoat; it something that became popular in the reign of King Edward VII when after gaining some weight, he found the fully buttoned waistcoat uncomfortable. To ease the fit, he started leaving the bottom button undone, and as a style icon of his time, others quickly followed suit. The trend became a fashion rule, particularly in men's formal wear, and it's still observed today in both waistcoats and jackets. The practice is largely about maintaining comfort and a smooth silhouette when sitting or moving. It is considered as a sartorial Faux pas and in truth when I see someone dressed with those buttons done up it suggests they do not know better, it does improve the drape IMO. 👍🙂
I generally like it idea of a 3 piece suit and maybe I’m gonna have one made out of tweet at some point though the most suits I usually wear are all double breasted which is something that doesn’t have to stand in the way of a 3 piece suit suit but after all it does take out many arguments for one because effectively one is hardly ever going to see the waistcoat but I think if I would get a suit with a waistcoat, I would love it to be a double breasted one comparable with the ones of the esteem Hercule poirit 😊 in case you have seen it what do you think about the tweet suits with a double breasted waistcoat underneath? That is one by Stanley Johnston in the series the gentleman
Hi there, glad you enjoyed the video and that sounds like an awesome idea! A tweed 3-piece suit would definitely have a classic, timeless charm, even with a double-breasted jacket. I totally get what you’re saying about the waistcoat not being as visible, but a double-breasted waistcoat inspired by Hercule Poirot would add such a unique touch of elegance. It’s a style statement for sure! I'd love to see how that turns out if you go for it. I have seen the series Gentlemen and I'm not adverse to the idea of a double breasted waistcoats with a tweed suit, although traditionally they tend to be single breasted waistcoats with a single breasted jacket and the material would be more earthy/green tones. However, if you are looking at using a Donegal tweed or a herringbone tweed of some description, then using more grey or blue colours I think it's a great design and even a double breasted peaked lapelled jacket is with the realms of possibility 👍🙂
Hi Heriberto, glad you enjoyed the video, as for your difficulty with the volume, I can only affirm that I am using a lapel microphone and the audio settings are set to the levels required by UA-cam. I'm not sure what else I can do to help you in this regard 🙂👍
Interesting video Chris. In my younger years, I overlooked 3-piece suits because I saw them as something from the past. Now, in my mid-40s, I decided to commission my first MTM 3-piece suit in 2025. The British tailoring house Redmayne from Wigton is my choice. I will meet them in January when they are on a North America tour. I will strive for a dark brown suit.
Hi Kay, glad you enjoyed the video and it is interesting that you state in your youth you overlooked 3 piece suits, I was very much the same in my opinion. But in later life and witnessing other wear them with great effect - I warmed to the idea and now I am a great supporter of them. Redmayne is a good choice IMO, I did note they were doing a US tour let me know your experience goes with them, but I'm sure the customer service will be second to none 👍🙂
I do own a few three-piece suits, but even when wearing a two-piece, or even just a sports jacket, I almost always wear a waistcoat
Hi there, glad you enjoyed the video and its great to hear you have a few three piece suits and exploit the use of a waistcoat, most of the time. A waistcoat is a great addition to a gentlemen's wardrobe even as a separate item.👍🙂
@@TheBritishDapper I'm also a big pocket watch fan, so wearing a waistcoat for me is both a need and a want LOL
@@MexieMex hi there, great to hear you are a pocket watch fan, they and waistcoat are a great look and functional 🙂
I own a couple of 3-piece suits from Walker Slater. The rest are double-breasted. Always found it a bit redundant when gents would add a matching waistcoat to their DB suit.
Hi there, glad you enjoyed the video and great to hear you have a couple of 3 piece suits. In some cases if the waist coat it not high enough at the top, it might not be visible and this can be an issue with some ready to wear (off the peg) suits. It really depends on the cut of the suit and waistcoat. But a double breasted suit is a great look without a waistcoat, that addition overlap give the look of a more opulence and expensive suit. The use of a contrasting or different coloured waistcoat is a great addition to a person's wardrobe anyway whether with a suit, with a jacket or as a separate item 👍🙂
@@TheBritishDapper Thank you, sir! If you don't mind, can I ask you a follow-up styling question? I own a black velvet, shawl-lapelled, double-breasted jacket from Walker Slater (if you Google the Piers Smoking Jacket). I also purchased classic evening wear trousers but they're more of a slimmer fit. I was hoping to have a new pair of trousers made, but with a material being the fine black-and-white stripe, like those worn in a Stresemann suit. I know Stresemann/Stroller suits are typically with black jackets, but would they work for formal evening attire at an opera or fancy restaurant? Combined with a smoking jacket? Or is this too irregular? Thank you in advance!
Also, I always enjoy your Glen check with the berry overcheck! Its a beautiful suit!
it's a nice look, isn't it👍thanks for your continued support dear friend🙂
Nice video Chris. Very nice suit Tie and pocket square combination is dapper
Hi Melvin, glad you enjoyed the video and the ensemble👍🙂 is there a particular colour combination you use for your style?
i have 5 waistoat , i often wear them when i go photograph weddings , keep my tie in place and is more comfortable than jacket and still look well dress , when working as photographer , i don t have a complete 3 piece , but for sure will be my next suite , and also bonus point wastcoat hide bit your belly , since approaching my 50is i develop one :)
Hi there, glad you enjoyed the video and your use of a waistcoat make perfect sense from a functional point of view, they give you freedom of movement in the shoulders and arms, whereas a jacket might be more restrictive. It does look better than just a shirt and tie look and it does keep the tie in place as well as camouflage a bit of a belly😆 👍
@@TheBritishDapper often see other photographers , go to weeding's and other formal event , with t shirt jeans and running sneakers , common dude , :P
@@darkphotographer Hi there, thanks for getting back to me. I think your approach to attending wedding and events is far better, it a shame other can't make the effort for someone else's special day 🙂
Excellent content, Chris. Thank you for punctuating the video with lots of on-screen images and film clips. These are particularly helpful for demonstrating the variety of styling ideas and cloth types. The last three-piece suit I owned was about 45 years ago. They seemed to go out of fashion in the 1980s at which point I became a big fan of double-breasted suits that have remained my favoured choice ever since. I enjoy wearing a contrasting waistcoat with a sports jacket or single-breasted blazer, so perhaps I should give the three-piece suit another try. I haven't bought a new suit for probably 25 years (my old ones still look good and fit perfectly) and I would like another one, but this time either MTM or bespoke.
Hi John and thank you so much for your comment. I’m glad you enjoyed the video and found the visuals helpful. It’s great to hear about your journey with suits over the years. A three-piece suit could be a fantastic addition to your wardrobe, especially with your eye for contrasting waistcoats. MTM or bespoke sounds like a fantastic way to go, that level of more personalised fit can really make a significant difference. Let me know if you decide to give it a try 🙂👍
Have always appreciated the masculine aesthetic of the 3-piece, bravo 👏🏼
Glad you like it👍🙂
@@TheBritishDapper btw which Shoe did you wear with that? :)
Once again a very nice video Chris. I like to use different vests and slipovers under jackets. Maybe an extra video on this subject? Kind regards Sjoerd
Hi Sjoerd, Glad you enjoyed the video and I consider your suggestion for future content and best wishes to you👍🙂
Excellent choice Mr Chris, first class colour coordination and smartness.
Hi James, glad you like it the ensemble and enjoyed the video👍🙂
Good stuff, Chris! I've always enjoyed a three-piecer! Although I do tend to reserve them for when I want to look ultra-smart! When you wear a suit for the office, its nice to have somewhere to go when you need a bit extra!
I've always thought double-breasted suits with a waistcoat an odd thing! Wearing a waistcoat only to cover it up never sat well with me! Each to their own, I guess! 🙂
Hi Yoric, glad you enjoyed the video, and extol the virtues of a three piece suit. I believe it does bring something more to the sartorial table, especially in the office environment 🙂 the waistcoat with a double breasted suit can be lost as shown in this video, but it does allow that additional flexibility if you need to take the jacket off and maintain that business like acumen. 👍🙂
Good evening Chris. Good advice on three piece suits. I currently don't own one but have been thinking about getting one. My high school graduation present in the mid 1970s was a three piece suit in blue check. Everyone else back then was wearing a polyester leisure suit. I thought they looked horrible. So i asked for a classic style three piece suit. Never regretted it. Very best regards Ron
Hi Ron, thank you for sharing that story. It’s great to hear that you went for a classic three-piece suit back in the 70s, especially when polyester leisure suits were all the rage. A blue check suit sounds like a stylish choice that would still hold up well today. It's amazing how timeless a good three-piece suit can be, definitely a wardrobe investment that never goes out of style. If you do decide to get another one, I’m sure it’ll bring back some good memories. Glad you enjoyed the video👍🙂
I do ❤️ a 3 piece suit. I think it lifts the elegance factor ! Sadly our preferred brand doesn’t have many to offer.
Hi Ken, glad you enjoyed the video and love a 3 piece suit. I noticed on FB you like a lot of peaked lapel suit jackets and it is a shame that your preferred brand doesn't accommodate this often, but it is a sign of the times where less people go for a 3 piece suit. But I stand by my statement a 3 piece suit is still a great look and draws attention 👍🙂 my best wishes to Lesley 🙂
@@TheBritishDapper - hello. I think it’s because this brand is modelled somewhere between USA traditional and British Savile Row suiting fashions. They do have the odd waistcoat but they tend to only be in the New York flagship store. It’s just too costly for us to get there. I did get a herringbone and a tweed jacket with waistcoats this year from them. These are beautiful and unique. You’ll see them. Yes. I just ❤️ Peak lapels.
Very snazzy suit love the cut and fit love the white shirt and collar and love the tie and handkerchief but for me purple is a no no ,would love to have seen it in a milky brown.However you do ooze sophistication and quiet confidence.
Hi there, glad you enjoyed the video and the ensemble worn, even if the tie choice would not be your personal choice. I've not tried this suit with a milky brown tie, I'll have to give that a try🙂👍
Nice nice clothes. All classy without a doubt.
Thank you, glad you like the ensembles👍🙂
Hi Chris. That siut you're wearing in this week's vid is perfect. Some things I often wonder regarding a three piece siut is does the jacket need to be cut differently from a two piece siut? For instance, if the jacket is three buttoned it will conceal the waistcoat when closed. Another issue for me is the height of the waistcoat when buttoned as it might leave little space to show the tie. Finally, the habit of leaving the bottom button undone in the waistcoat may be fashionable but always looks a trifle unkempt to me. What are your thoughts on these matters Chris, am I being overly fussy?
Hi Billy (William), glad you enjoyed the video. To answer your questions, yes a three-piece suit jacket is often cut slightly differently from a two-piece suit jacket to accommodate the waistcoat.
In a three-piece suit, the jacket usually has a little more room around the chest and waist to fit comfortably over the waistcoat and some tailors also adjust the button stance of the jacket as well depending on the overall desired look when including a particular style of waist coat. It might also have slightly higher armholes to ensure a smoother silhouette when the Waistcoat is worn underneath. Additionally, the lapels on three-piece suit jackets may sometimes be narrower, as the waistcoat becomes more of the focal point. The height of the waistcoat when buttoned is something to consider, however this comes down to the style and cut of the waistcoat and personal choice, a good tailor would cut the waistcoat to get the balance just right to prevent the tie being drowned out by the waistcoat.
In contrast, a two-piece suit jacket is tailored to have a slightly snugger fit without the need to make room for a waistcoat, so it can be a slimmer overall fit around the torso. Although when buying ready to wear suits manufactured for large company's this tends to be less obvious and allow a greater choice if the customer wants a 3 piece or a 2 piece suit nether would look out of place due to the generalisation of the design.
My thoughts about the habit of leaving the bottom button undone on the waistcoat; it something that became popular in the reign of King Edward VII when after gaining some weight, he found the fully buttoned waistcoat uncomfortable. To ease the fit, he started leaving the bottom button undone, and as a style icon of his time, others quickly followed suit.
The trend became a fashion rule, particularly in men's formal wear, and it's still observed today in both waistcoats and jackets. The practice is largely about maintaining comfort and a smooth silhouette when sitting or moving. It is considered as a sartorial Faux pas and in truth when I see someone dressed with those buttons done up it suggests they do not know better, it does improve the drape IMO. 👍🙂
Great video!
Glad you enjoyed it Scott 👍🙂
I generally like it idea of a 3 piece suit and maybe I’m gonna have one made out of tweet at some point though the most suits I usually wear are all double breasted which is something that doesn’t have to stand in the way of a 3 piece suit suit but after all it does take out many arguments for one because effectively one is hardly ever going to see the waistcoat but I think if I would get a suit with a waistcoat, I would love it to be a double breasted one comparable with the ones of the esteem Hercule poirit 😊 in case you have seen it what do you think about the tweet suits with a double breasted waistcoat underneath? That is one by Stanley Johnston in the series the gentleman
Hi there, glad you enjoyed the video and that sounds like an awesome idea! A tweed 3-piece suit would definitely have a classic, timeless charm, even with a double-breasted jacket. I totally get what you’re saying about the waistcoat not being as visible, but a double-breasted waistcoat inspired by Hercule Poirot would add such a unique touch of elegance. It’s a style statement for sure! I'd love to see how that turns out if you go for it.
I have seen the series Gentlemen and I'm not adverse to the idea of a double breasted waistcoats with a tweed suit, although traditionally they tend to be single breasted waistcoats with a single breasted jacket and the material would be more earthy/green tones. However, if you are looking at using a Donegal tweed or a herringbone tweed of some description, then using more grey or blue colours I think it's a great design and even a double breasted peaked lapelled jacket is with the realms of possibility 👍🙂
I love watching your reviews, but your volume is way too low for the hard of hearing.
Hi Heriberto, glad you enjoyed the video, as for your difficulty with the volume, I can only affirm that I am using a lapel microphone and the audio settings are set to the levels required by UA-cam. I'm not sure what else I can do to help you in this regard 🙂👍